The Role of Technological and Institutional Affordances in Open Innovation

Abstract

This study aims to advance studies on open innovation, digital technologies, and institutional infrastructures by building on extant research in the field. Most research to date focused on digital technologies and digital affordances, while institutional infrastructures and affordances are less explored. To provide a background for such an approach, this study identifies and integrates two major issues—technological affordances and institutional affordances—that enable or constrain open innovation practices within firms. The framework developed indicates that the degree of openness of the innovation practices is related to the availability of digital technologies and institutional infrastructures in a specific context and the practices of incumbent firms in mobilizing these structures.